Chen Hongyan, a research librarian with National Library of China (NLC), has been engaged in the preservation and public dissemination of ancient books since she graduated from Peking University, in 1987, with a major in Chinese classical text.
During the past 38 years, Chen has witnessed tremendous changes in the work involving ancient books. In the past, Chinese classical text was not a very popular major. Now, ancient book preservation, recognized as a great effort to carry on China's cultural tradition and enhance its cultural strength, is drawing widespread attention from all segments of society. Chen has even contributed to some of those great changes.
Chen has dedicated herself to work involving ancient books for nearly 40 years. She is an expert in preserving, cataloging, managing and popularizing ancient books.
She has served as director of the Office of the National Center for Preservation and Conservation of Ancient Books, director of the Exhibition Department of the National Museum of Classic Books, and curator of the Ancient Books Library, under NLC.
She is a member of the 13th and 14th National Committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Chen is a member of the Committee on Culture, Historical Data and Studies, under the CPPCC National Committee.
Sincere Commitment
Chen enjoyed the lessons in ancient Chinese literature when she was a student at Beijing No. 2 Middle School. Those lessons were taught by Chang Kang, her head teacher, who had graduated from Peking University with a major in Chinese language and literature.
Chang often provided ancient Chinese texts, beyond the textbook, for his students to read and translate. Chen was fascinated by the ancient texts.
Therefore, she followed Chang's advice and applied to major in Chinese classical text, at Peking University, after she wrote the college-entrance exam. She was enrolled by the university, and she chose preservation and publicity of ancient books to be her lifelong career.
Chen studied under a group of renowned teachers at Peking University. "During my undergraduate years, all of the teachers had beautiful handwriting. They were well-versed in their studies, and they were dedicated to teaching. My classmates and I benefited a lot, and we all laid a solid foundation (in Chinese classical text).
Their teachings and ways of thinking have always influenced my work. Meanwhile, they were our role models, and we all hoped to become people like our teachers," recalls Chen.
After she graduated from the university, in 1987, Chen joined the Rare Books Group, under the Rare Books and Special Collections Department, at NLC (then known as Beijing Library).
"When I entered the department's stack room, I was shocked by the large quantity of books on the shelves. At that time, it was an arduous task for us to check all of the handwritten title catalogs of the ancient books. I discovered a clerical error in a book title when I started to work. At that time, I recognized the value of my work," Chen says.
Chen became the department's deputy director in 2001. She and her colleagues launched a series of public lectures, themed "Chinese Classics and Culture," which were open to the public. In 2006, Chen and her colleagues hosted an exhibition, titled "Guardians of Civilization," which showcased precious ancient books — including the damage, preservation efforts and current status of the books — to raise public awareness about the preservation of ancient books.
A nationwide ancient book preservation initiative was launched in 2007. In the same year, NLC established the National Center for Preservation and Conservation of Ancient Books, to ensure scientific, standardized protection of the ancient books.
Chen became the first director of the center's office. During her three and a half years in the post, she and her team worked relentlessly. Every year, they released a list of the precious national ancient books, and they popularized the books on the list among the public.
"At that time, nearly everyone, both young and old, worked overtime to do what they could to preserve ancient books. We all knew ancient book preservation was experiencing the best period of development in its history. We had to grasp the opportunity," Chen says.
Digital Renaissance
The NLC's Ancient Books Library is home to a collection of more than 3 million ancient books, making it the world's largest repository of ancient Chinese books.
Throughout the decades, generations of restorers have revived numerous precious cultural relics, including the Dunhuang manuscripts and the Yongle Encyclopedia, a collection of Chinese classified books compiled in the 15th century.
In recent years, modern technologies have been used to restore ancient books, and those technologies have breathed new life into the preservation of China's cultural heritage for future generations.
However, restoration is just one aspect of the preservation of ancient books. Finding the best way to digitize and popularize ancient books is crucial to activating and utilizing ancient books.
In recent years, digitization has given "wings" to ancient books; as such, it has enhanced the utilization of this precious cultural resource, which has encouraged more people to read ancient books. Libraries, across the country, have opened their digital resources of ancient books to the public.
Efforts have been made to raise public awareness about ancient books, through exhibitions, games, films and television programs.
"The Chinese Ancient Book Resources Database, developed by NLC's National Center for Preservation and Conservation of Ancient Books, is a comprehensive online platform used to publish and share digitized ancient books. More than 100,000 digitized ancient books have been published on the platform. We have significantly met the public's demand for ancient book resources, by offering login-free online access," says Chen.
The Smart Library project, under construction, will enable its users to experience traditional culture, anytime and anywhere, through visual and auditory means, Chen adds. The project will help promote the popularization of ancient books.
Chen has witnessed the steady progress in the preservation of ancient books in China during the past four decades.
"It's my great fortune to help extend the lifespan of millennia-old books, and to safeguard our cultural heritage, through my decades of work. Preserving ancient books is preserving Chinese civilization. It's worthy of our all-out efforts. I hope more young talents, creative thinking, new technologies and innovative approaches will breathe new vitality into ancient book preservation," Chen concludes.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly December 2025)
Editor: Wang Shasha
